Spring Fishing at Amelia

Warming water temperatures attract a multitude of pelagic species to Amelia Island waters during
the spring fishing season. One of the more popular species is the black drum. Black drum weighing
to over 90 pounds are taken each spring by fishermen at both inlet mouths of Amelia Island,
beaches and tidal rivers.
Black drum are typically bottom feeders, dining mainly on blue crabs, conch and many other
forms of forage foods that call the bottom their home. With this in mind, successful black drum
fishermen often anchor a whole or part of a blue crab right on the bottom and with 50 to 80-lb.
terminal fishing tackle. Some of the best drum fishing comes just before the full moon and a few
days after the full moon.

Black drum fishing heats up in the spring.
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    By the way, you won't have to search very far to find out where the drum are biting. Most of the good drum holes are staked out by 5 to 20 fishing boats! Drum fishing is also excellent during the darkness of night, which is a local tradition among avid black drum fishermen.
    The spring fishing season also attracts a wide variety of striking fish to offshore fish havens,
including cobia, kingfish, Spanish mackerel, blackfin tuna, amberjack, barracuda, wahoo and more. Look for the best action to arrive when water temperature breaks move in close to near shore fish havens. Once the water temperature change is located, troll on the warm side of the break.
    Some of the more productive trolling baits include live cigar minnows, menhaden, Spanish
sardines and mullet. However, rigged dead baits are productive too, including rigged mullet,
ballyhoo, or Spanish mackerel.

Blue water fishing comes alive during the spring season for sailfish, blue marlin, wahoo, dolphin,
blackfin tuna and yellowfin tuna. Look for the best action to come starting at the 30-fathom curve
up to 1,000 feet of water. If you like picking a fight with a big dolphin, wahoo or blue marlin, try
trolling large plastics at 8 to 12 knots. However, if it's action that you're looking for, try the smaller
plastics rigged with dead ballyhoo. Trolling speeds here are normally six to eight knots. Weed lines
and temperature breaks offer the best action, but when this fails, try a zig-zag trolling pattern from
180 to 500 feet of water.
Bottom fishing also heats up during the springtime, particularly for gag grouper, red snapper and
black sea bass. Some of the better action comes in water depths from 60 to 100 feet while fishing
right on the bottom with fresh local squid or Spanish sardines. Sunken wrecks often provide for
great springtime bottom fishing action. All are marked on local offshore fishing charts, with GPS and
loran coordinates.

    Inlet mouths and beach fishing begins to improve for kingfish, sharks, cobia, redfish and tarpon fishing during the spring fishing season as well. One of the old tried and true fishing tactics here includes chumming from an anchored or drifting boat while live baiting with menhaden or mullet.
    Backwater fishing action is excellent during the spring for sea trout, redfish, flounder, blues and jack crevalle. Look for feeder creek mouths, oyster bars, rock jetties and piers that extend out into deep water to harbor some of the best action.
    Redfish are probably the favorite backwater specie during the spring fishing season, and can be found tailing on flooded marsh flats. There, both fly and spin cast fishermen can enjoy some of Amelia's best light tackle angling.
    When the redfish are off from the flats, try jigging deep structures in the rivers and bays, with a 1/4-oz. led head jig and curly plastic tail. When all else fails, jigs tipped with a piece of dead shrimp often draw strikes from a wide variety of backwater species.

Blue water fishing during the warm spring months can result in a variety of huge species, including the beautiful yellowfin
tuna shown here.
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Surf fishing is also excellent during the spring for whiting, blues, sea trout, flounder, pompano,
puppy drum, redfish and more. One of the favorite fishing tactics here includes employing a
fish-finder rig baited with fresh shrimp. Look for some of the best surf fishing to come while fishing a
deep slough during the outgoing tide.
Freshwater fishing in many area streams is also very good during the springtime. Largemouth
bass weighing to over 10 pounds are taken during the spring fishing season on a regular basis, while
bass weighing over the six-pound class are a common catch for many skilled bass experts. Last
spring, Captain Richard Sheets guided a client to a 12-pound bass in Lofton Creek!

Backwater fishing in Amelia Island's tidal rivers can produce nice
catches of seatrout (pictured above) and redfish.
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Some of the more productive springtime lures include moccasin-colored plastic worms, white
spinner baits and the floating rapala. Since all of northeast Florida's rivers are tidal, look for the best
action to come during the last of the outgoing and the last of the incoming tides.
Crabbing is great family fun during the spring months. Take a long string and tie a 2-oz. weight to
the end. Next, tie a piece of chicken to the end, as well. Drop the chicken down to the bottom and
wait for a slight tug. Bring the crab slowly to the surface and net with a long-handled net. Keep the
blue crabs alive in a bucket until you are ready to cook them. Bring a large pot of water to boil and
add crab boil seasoning. Next, drop the live crabs in the pot, boil until they turn a bright pink and
enjoy!
All non-Florida residents will need a saltwater fishing license when fishing from land or a boat.
For more fishing or fishing charter information, call the Amelia Angler at (904) 321-5090.